Reception of Grabbe’s Hannibal in the German Theatre

After publication in 1835, Grabbe’s Hannibal was overlooked by the theatre until this century. Because the drama does not lend itself easily to stage production, a number of adaptations were printed: these are analysed and their merits and shortcomings evaluated. The history of all productions is then viewed against the background of Germany’s political and cultural history from 1918 to 1958, examining in detail the approaches of such producers as Jessner, Martin, Schmitt and Schalla and their audience impact. This analysis in turn sheds light on essential qualities of Hannibal.